. . . I've been told that I write novels for email messages. Perhaps this is the way to go. I'll try to make each entry, or Gemstone, a "precious" one. On mediocre days, all I might be able to produce is a "semi-precious" entry. In any case, an entry might be a "neat" Gemstone--something that is uniquely mine.

About Me

I'm originally from northern California but now live in the high desert region of the southwest in the "Land of Enchantment." I've lived here for 14 years and call this place home. There's beauty here that you would never expect! "What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well." -- Antoine-Marie-Roger de Saint-Exupery

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

This is how I've been feeling all day--just grinnin' and feelin' groovy!

Lucy

This morning when I was driving to Starbucks to meet my friends for our weekly Wednesday coffee and chat session, I thought of the election results and tears came to my eyes. I'm such a doofus, but it is still such a moving experience for me. Last night's results and Obama's speech were so touching and I feel so uplifted to know that we will start fresh as a country and there is hope to improve and be strong again.

"We all made this journey for a reason...you came here because you believe in what this country can be. In the face of war, you believe there can be peace. In the face of despair, you believe there can be hope. In the face of politics that's shut you out, that's told you to settle, that's divided us for too long, you believe we can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union." -- President-elect Barack Obama on February 10, 2007 at the beginning of the campaign.

Some days you're the windshield, other days you're the bug!

--Unknown

Name That Rock!

This is a special rock that once belonged to my Grandmother. She lived most of her adult life in Oregon and northern California but was born in Nebraska. She did do some traveling in the west and out east, so maybe got it from her travels. Somebody could have given her the rock. Nobody knows where it came from nor what the rock is actually called. And no, it is not "Steak Rock" or "Fossilized Giraffe Skin." The grains are silt- to sand-sized and in two colors. Both the lighter "matrix" color has the same size grains as the dark. Is it volcanic---perhaps a rhyolite or a welded tuff? Is it sedimentary--maybe a red sandstone or siltstone? I've had some great discussions going on at a couple of geology blogs and will update when I think I've solved the mystery! Send me a note if you've got any ideas by commenting on the blog posts linked below. (You can click the image above to get a larger view and can watch the slideshow below for more views).